Combined speed indicator and recorder.



GEORGE EDWARD MIRFIELD, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED SPEED INDICATOR AND RECORDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application filed March 5, 1906. Serial No. 304,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I GEORGE EDWARD Mml FIELD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of lill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful In'iprovements in a Combined Speed Indicator and Recorder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is intended more particularly for use in connection with automobiles, and is intended to be combined with and actuated in part by a`clock or chronometer ordinarily carried on an automobile, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, convenient and easily readable speed recorder and indicator which will keep a constant record of the rate of speed at or during any particular period of time, and will also indicate on suitably arranged dials the time of day, rate of speed, record of speed, and record of distance traveled. The speed record is intended to be indicated uponv a suit able chart which can be easily renewed from day to day, so that a full and complete record of the daily speed of the automobile in easily readable form can be obtained and filed for future reference. Such a record, when maintained for some time, will afford a basis for calculating the results obtained from a given consumption of fuel, and also in a general way the character of the roads traveled over, and other data of an interesting and valuable character.

The invention further relates to the means employed for attaching` the record dial to and actuating it by the clock or chronometer ordinarily carried, to the construction of the clock dial, the means for simultaneously indicating the rate of speed and recording the same to the means for mounting` and actuating the cyclometer which registers the total distance traveled, and to the mounting` and positioning of the several parts within a suitable casing of compact form and attractive appearance and adapted to be mounted at a suitable point to be easily observed by the operator.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device with the front plate and dial removed; Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of the same Fig. 3 a face view of the entire device and Fig. 4 a face view of the speed indicator disk.

The mechanism hereinafter described is mounted within a cylindrical casing 1 having` at its lower side a square housing 2 one side of Which is extended to form a, pocket 3 for the reception of a chronometer 4 of any suitable and well known character. The casing is inelosed in front by means of an open curved dial frame 5 to the lower ends of which is secured a plate 6 adapted to cover the housing 2, and said plate is provided at one corner with a projection 7 adapted to cover and inclose the chronometer pocket. The dial frame and plate are secured to the casing by means of a hinge S which enables the entire closing face to be turned back for adjustment of the interior mechanism. The dial frame serves as a mounting for a dial glass 9 which has painted or otherwise ndicated thereon the figures constituting the dial face of the clockin suitable proximity to the clock mechanism to be hereinafter referred to.

The housing 2 has suitably journaled therein an actuating shaft 10 which is connected in any suitable manner with the running gear of the automobile or other vehicle,

and said shaft has secured thereto at a suitc ble point a collar 11 having ears 12 to which are pivoted governor arms 13 having on their ends governor balls 14 of the usual character. The governor arms are supported by means of links 15 connected at their upper ends to al slidable collar 16. The slidable collar bears against an adjusting screw 17 which is adapted to regulate the tension of the spring 18 which encircles the actuating shaft intermediate the collar 11 and the adjusting nut. Above the adjusting nut is a glass disk or collar 19 which serves as a bearing for the forked end. 20 of an actuating arm 21. The arm 21 is secured to a transversely extending rock shaft 22 to which is connected a recorder' arm 23 having mounted at its end a stylus 24 or other suitable recording instrument.

The stylus is adapted to mark a line on a recording chart 25 which is in the form of a ring and is adapted to encircle a plain center disk 26 preferably of white porcelain which serves as a reading surface for the numerals marked in black or other contrasting color on the surface of the glass dial face of the instrument. The center disk is mounted on the movable tubular shaft or arbor 27 of the clock mechanism, which may be of any ordinary character. To the arbor 27 is attached the hour hand 28 of the clock, which of course requires twelve hours to make a complete revolution, and the hour hand, the

or divisions 32 by means of lilies 33 which are drawn across the lace ot the record chart using the length ot' the recording arm 23 as a l radius, and the transverse rock shalt 22 as a center. The inner ends ot the cross lines are suitably spaced to measure oill the distance between the hour marks as indicated on the glass dial ot the instrument, and each of the curved cross lines is intended, when the chart is lirst inserted, to register with one ol the hour marks ot the clock tace. The twelve spaces may be further subdivided by lines 34. to indicate halt a quarter hour or any other subdivisions ol an hour which may be found desirable.

The speed indicator is actuated by means of a speed indicator arm rigidly secured to the rock shaft 22 and provided on its end with a curved rack 36, giving an L form ation to the speed indicator arm as a whole, and the teeth ol the rack are intended to mesh with a pinion 37 on a rotatable speed indicator dial 3S having marked thereon figures 39 indicat- 'ng the speed per hour of the automobile or other vehicle. through a slot 40 in the plate 6, which slot is preferably marked with an indicating arrow or line el. The ligures on the cyclometer are also readable through a similar slot 42 immediately above the cyclometer.

The cyclometer is operated by means of a Worm gear 43 which meshes with a worm Lle4- on the actuating shalt l0.

In operation the revolution ol the running gear revolves the actuating shaft, and the revolution tends to throw out the governor balls in the usual manner, and this spreading of the governor balls carries down the arm 2l and turns the rock shalt more or less, depending upon the speed olt revolution ol` the actuating shaft and the throw of the governor balls. As the rock shatt is turned it moves the recording arm and stylus inwardly the requisite distance to register b y a continuous line the speed of the automobile. As the speed changes the recording arm will be moved accordingly, and the record line will indicate the change in speed at any par ticular time. It will be understood that simulta-neously with the movement of the recording arm the record chart will be revolved at a lixed rate of speed, so that it will be possible, atter the complete record has The Vfigures are readable been taken, to determine the exact rate ot speed of the automobile at any particular hour or lraction thereof. Simultaneously with the marking olt the permanent record the rate ot travel will be constantly indicated so that the operator can see at a glance Ijust how rast the machine is ruiming, which is a matter ot great importance in operating automobiles in cities or towns where speed ordinances are enforced. By marking the hour numb ers on the glass et the instrument rather than upon the dial, no dill'iculty is experienced in positioning the record charts, which can be'inserted and removed without diliiculty since they are rotatable with the permanent plane center disk which is secured to the arbor oi the hour hand. At the same time the white surliaee ot the disk forms a suitable background for the ligures on the glass which are as easily visible as il marked on the surtace ol the disk in the usual manner. The location and arrangement ol the mechanism is one which combines all or the recording instruments into an integral whole which can be suitably secured in the Yiront part oli the automobile, and actuated by a single power transmission shalt, and this arrangement is greatly superior to one in which ditl'erent recording instruments are located at diil'erent places on the machine and independently operated.

A blank recording chart can be inserted l'or each day run, and such charts can be suitably dated or otherwise identilied and liled away for future reference, which enables the operator to readily determine as to the ellciency ot the machine, and also as to the condition ot the roads traveled over, which inlcrmation is a matter ot great importance in the operation ot automobiles. By locating, mounting and operating the instruments in the manner above specilied, the device as a whole may be made extremely attractive in appearance and compact in form, which is important in view or the tact that it is desirable to save'as much space as possible, owing to the complexity of the operating machinery and the need ot space l'or the mounting and operation oi levers, valves and similar devices.

That l claim as new and desire to secure l combination With a clock mechanism, a tace plate surrounding the arbor 'for the hour hand and revoluble therewith and adapted to revolve a chart, a stationary transparent cloel tace having the hour numbers marked 'thereon in a ring in front of the face plate, a recording arm carrying an inscribing instrument, the latter being movable under the transparent clocl face and outside of the ring of hour numerals, an actuating sliait, a governor on the actuating shaft, and a connection between the governor and the recording arm 'formoving the recording arm to inscribe a record on the chart When inserted, substantially as described.

ln a device of the class described, the combination ot a casing, a glass i'ace for the casing inscribed with the numbers oi' a clock, a clock mechanism Within the casing, a plain i'ace :tor the clock immediately beneath the numerals inscribed on the glass and adapted to have mounted thereon, a recording` chart, the plain 'face being rotated by the clock mechanism, a recording arm adapted to inscribe a line on the chart,`and mechanism 4for ilnoving the recording arm, substantially as described 4l. in a device of the class described, the combination o'l a casing, a glass face for the casing inscribed With the numbers of a clock, a clock mechanism Within the casing, a plain face for the clock immediately beneath the numerals inscribed on the glass and adapted to have mounted thereon, a recording chart, the plain face being rotated by the clock mechanism, a recording arm adapted to inscribe a line on the chart, an actuating shaft, and a governor adapted to move the recording arm, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, a glass cover for the casing inscribed with numerals, a clock mechanism, a plain `lace for the clock, a recording chart in the form of a ring surrounding the space occupied by the numerals inscribed on the glass cover, both the plain face and chart being revolved by the clock mechanism, the chart being divided into a series of concentric rings indicating speed, and further divided by means of a series of cross lines indicating periods of time, a recording arm, a stylus on the recording arm, mechanism for moving the recording arm to inscribe a line on the revolving chart, a revoluble disk inscribed to indicate rates of speed and adapted to be actuated simultaneously with the recording arm, substantially as described.

GEORGE EDWARD lvllRFlELl).

Witnesses:

FRANK STONEBURNER, GUY L. MEAKER. 

